ACE CAMEO GOTHIC ROMANCE SERIES

ACE Books published the ACE Cameo Gothic Romance series in the 1970's. There are at least 26 titles, some of which are reprints (often under a new name) or promoting and developing lesser known romance writers. The Ace Cameo series tended to shy away from the more supernatural elements found in a lot of gothic fiction and all basically tell the same story where "a nice young girl finds a nice young man, has an inheritance or the potential to acquire wealth, and someone is out to kill her."

All of the titles have the same cover format. A formalized cameo ring with the series number, the title, and the author, all superimposed on classic 'gothic' romance cover art. The back cover explains the cameo ring symbol and the editorial direction ACE Books choose for this series.  I have listed these based upon the number in the series (i.e., No. 13) but they also have a unique ACE Letter-Number.

No. 1 NANCY TAYLOR SMITH The Golden Fig (August 1974; 1st ACE printing)

No. 2 LOUISE HOFFMAN Fear Among The Shadows (c.1969; September 1974; 1st ACE printing)

No. 3 POPPY NOTTINGHAM Shadow of a Cat (October 1974; 1st ACE printing)

No. 4 GERALDINE KILLORAN The Stones Of Strendleigh (November 1974; 1st ACE printing)

No. 5 LYDIA BENSON CLARK (aka ELOISE MEAKER) Yesterday's Evil (December 1974; 1st ACE printing)

Original cover art for Yesterday's Evil. Acrylic and oil on board. Artist unknown.

No. 6 DIANE LAPOINT Flames Over the Castle (January 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 7 MARIANNE RUUTH Tapestry Of Terror (February 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 8 POPPY NOTTINGHAM Without A Grave (February 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 9 LANORA MILLER The Devil's Due (March 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 10 CHRIS WAYNAR Fire On The Cliffs (April 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 11 NORMA DAVISON Rievaulx Abbey (May 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 12 DIANE La POINT Picture of Death (June 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No.13 JANICE N. BENNETT The Castle On The River (June 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 14 LOUISE HOFFMAN To Dream of Evil (original title: The Impossible Dream; cover by Charles Copeland; July 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No.15 MARYBETH MORGAN Darkness At Bromley Hall (cover by Walter Popp; July 1975; 1st ACE printing)

Interestingly, the copyright for this title is to Peter Ronai.

No. 16 LAURA FRANCES BROOKS This Evil Old House (August 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 17 MARGARET CHITTENDEN Findlay's Landing (September 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 18 FRANCES PATTON STATHAM Bright Sun, Dark Moon (September 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 19 HELEN ORR Web of Days (October 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No.20 ZOA SHERBURNE Girl in the Shadows (November 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No. 21 EVA ZUMWALT (aka JOHN JACOB NILES) Masquerade of Evil (original title: Black is the Color (December 1975; 1st ACE printing)

No.22 NAOMI GLADISH SMITH Buried Remembrance (January 1976; 1st ACE printing)

No. 23 GERALDINE KILLORAN Willough Haven (cover - probably - by Charles Copeland; February 1976; 1st ACE printing)

No. 24 MAYNAH LEWIS The Unforgiven (March 1976; 1st ACE printing)

No. 25 ANATASIA CLEAVER Winterscape (cover by Walter Popp; April 1976; 1st ACE printing)

No.26 DEBORAH SCOTT (aka DEBORAH SNIPES) Deathbed of Roses (1976; 1st thus; ACE Gothic Novel)

Note that this novel has the ACE Cameo ring logo, but no number for the title.

And, of course, ACE Books put together a "double" series, some of which re-used the ACE Gothic Cameo series titles, but not always.  Headlined as "An ACE Double Cameo" with a cameo medallion in the banner caption. These are priced at $2.25 to $2.75. This is actually an ACE Double with a single cover. These "double" issues in the Cameo series were not referenced in the source that I found concerning this series. I also find it annoying that they did not use the "cameo ring" motif that is found in the ACE Gothic Cameo series.  I have tried to attribute where and when they were originally published.

08397-8 NAOMI SMITH (aka NAOMI GLADISH SMITH) Buried Remembrance (c.1976) and SHARON WAGNER Dark Sun At Midnight (1976; ACE Romance Suspense)

08397-8 (back cover)

Buried Remembrance is also published in the ACE Gothic Cameo series as No. 22 (ACE 08500).

52091-X EVA ZUMWALT (aka JOHN JACOB NILES) Masquerade of Evil (original title: Black is the Color (c.1975; nd; copyright by G. Schirmer, Inc.) and DIANE LAPOINT Flames Over The Castle (c.1975; nd; ACE Gothic Novel)

52091-X (back cover)

Note that Masquerade of Evil was originally published as ACE Cameo Series No. 21 (ACE 52090) whilst Flames Over The Castle was originally published as ACE Gothic Cameo series No. 12 (ACE 24070).

41838 DEBORAH SCOTT Deathbed of Roses (c.1976) and NORMA DAVISON Rievaulx Abbey (c.1975; April 1981; ACE Romance Suspense)

"Two Thrilling Novels of Romantic Suspense."

Deathbed of Roses is also published in the ACE Gothic Cameo series as No. 26 whilst Rievaulx Abbey was published as ACE Gothic Cameo series No. 11.

Last Update:  02 September 2020


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